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The drag queen Jiggly Caliente has died aged 44 after a “severe infection”, her family confirmed. The performer, whose real name was Bianca Castro-Arabejo, rose to fame after taking part in the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Caliente’s family announced on Thursday that the Filipino-American drag performer had part of her leg amputated due to the infection.
Her family wrote on Instagram that she was “cherished by many” for her career, and died on Sunday at 4.42am “surrounded by her loving family and close friends”.
On Instagram, the BBC Radio 2 DJ and RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage wrote: “My jiggles …. The laughter was endless, our talks were special, your energy was contagious.
“You were and remain so very loved. This world has lost an angel and we want you to soar high ….. I love you so much honey.”
A statement from Caliente’s family said the star was a “luminous presence” in the worlds of entertainment and advocacy, adding that she would be deeply missed and eternally remembered.
Her family said: “She touched countless lives through her artistry, activism, and the genuine connection she fostered with fans around the world.
“Though her physical presence is gone, the joy she shared and the space she helped create for so many will remain for ever.”
After publicly coming out as transgender, Caliente was a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six and was set to judge the latest season of the spin-off programme Drag Race Philippines, after being appointed as a judge when the show began airing in 2022.
A statement shared by the show and producers World of Wonder on social media said they were “devastated” and asked for Caliente’s family to be given the privacy and space to grieve their “tremendous loss”.
They added: “Jiggly’s humour, love, and light touched so many in the Drag Race family and beyond. Her legacy will continue to uplift the communities she advocated for.”
Born on 29 November 1980, Caliente moved from the Philippines to New York when she was a child. She was praised in her first Drag Race series by the judges for her sense of humour, and impressive lip-syncs when she battled not to leave the competition early, while also struggling with sewing garments during some challenges.
She was eliminated before the final, with Sharon Needles going on to be crowned champion in 2012.
Since the franchise began in 2009, the reality show has been hit by the deaths of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Cherry Valentine, 28, and The Vivienne, 32, as well as US competitors Sahara Davenport, 27, and Chi Chi DeVayne, 34.
